(_Page_ 115, _note_ 4.)
There are at least three accounts of this altercation and three versions
of the lines. Two of these versions nearly agree. The earliest is found
in a letter by Richard Burke, senior, dated Jan. 6, 1773 (_Burke
Corres_. i. 403); the second in _The Annual Register_ for 1776, p. 223;
and the third in Miss Reynolds's _Recollections_ (Croker's _Boswell_,
8vo. p. 833). R. Burke places the scene in Reynolds's house. Whether he
himself was present is not clear. 'The dean,' he says, 'asserted that
after forty-five a man did not improve. "I differ with you, Sir,"
answered Johnson; "a man may improve, and you yourself have great room
for improvement." The dean was confounded, and for the instant silent.
Recovering, he said, "On recollection I see no cause to alter my
opinion, except I was to call it improvement for a man to grow (which I
allow he may) positive, rude, and insolent, and save arguments by
brutality."' Neither the _Annual Register_ nor Miss Reynolds reports the
Dean's speech. But she says that 'soon after the ladies withdrew, Dr.
Johnson followed them, and sitting down by the lady of the house [that
is by herself, if they were at Sir Joshua's] he said, "I am very sorry
for having spoken so rudely to the Dean." "You very well may, Sir."
"Yes," he said, "it was highly improper to speak in that style to a
minister of the gospel, and I am the more hurt on reflecting with what
mild dignity he received it."' If Johnson really spoke of the Dean's
_mild dignity_, it is clear that Richard Burke's account is wrong. But
it was written just after the scene, and Boswell says there was 'a
pretty smart altercation.' Miss Reynolds continues:--'When the Dean came
up into the drawing-room, Dr. Johnson immediately rose from his seat,
and made him sit on the sofa by him, and with such a beseeching look for
pardon and with such fond gestures--literally smoothing down his arms
and his knees,' &c. The _Annual Register_ says that Barnard the next day
sent the verses addressed to 'Sir Joshua Reynolds & Co.' On the next
page I give Richard Burke's version of the lines, and show the various
readings.
MISS REYNOLD'S RICHARD BURKE'S VERSION. _Annual Register_
VERSION
I lately thought no man alive
Could e'er improve past forty-five,
And ventured to assert it;
The observation was not new,
But seem'd to me so just and true,
That none could controvert it.
'No, Sir,' says Johnson, ''tis not so;
'Tis _That's_ your mistake, and I can show
An instance, if you doubt it;
You who perhaps are _You, Sir, who are near_ forty-eight,
still May _much_ improve, 'tis not too late;
I wish you'd set about it.'
Encouraged thus to mend my faults,
I turn'd his counsel in my thoughts,
could Which way I _should_ apply it:
Genius I knew was _Learning and wit seem'd_ past my reach,
what none can For who can learn _where none will_ teach? when
And wit--I could not buy it.
Then come, my friends, and try your skill,
may You _can improve me, if you will; inform
(My books are at a distance).
With you I'll live and learn; and then
Instead of books I shall read men,
_So_ lend me your assistance. To
Dear Knight of Plympton[1301], teach me how
unclouded To suffer with _unruffled_ brow,
as And smile serene _like_ thine,
and The jest uncouth _or_ truth severe,
Like thee to turn _To such apply_ my deafest ear, To such
And calmly drink my wine. I'll turn
Thou say'st, not only skill is gain'd,
attained But genius too may be _obtain'd_, attained
invitation By studious _imitation_;
Thy temper mild, thy genius fine,
study I'll _copy_ till I make _them_ mine, thee
meditation By constant _application_.
Thy art of pleasing teach me, Garrick,
reverest (_sic_) Thou who _reversest_ odes Pindarick[1302],
A second time read o'er;
Oh! could we read thee backwards too,
Past _Last_ thirty years thou shouldst review,
And charm us thirty more.
If I have thoughts and can't express 'em,
Gibbon shall teach me how to dress 'em
In terms select and terse;
Jones teach me modesty--and Greek;
Smith how to think; _Burke_ how to speak, Burk
And Beauclerk to converse.
Let Johnson teach me how to place
In fairest light each borrowed grace,
From him I'll learn to write;
free and easy Copy his _clear and easy_ style, clear
And from the roughness of his file, familiar
like Grow _as_ himself--polite.' like
Horace Walpole, on Dec. 27, 1775, speaks of these verses as if they were
fresh. 'They are an answer,' he writes, 'to a gross brutality of Dr.
Johnson, to which a properer answer would have been to fling a glass of
wine in his face. I have no patience with an unfortunate monster
trusting to his helpless deformity for indemnity for any impertinence
that his arrogance suggests, and who thinks that what he has read is an
excuse for everything he says.' Horace Walpole's _Letters,_ vi. 302. It
is strange that Walpole should be so utterly ignorant of Johnson's
courage and bodily strength. The date of Walpole's letter makes me
suspect that Richard Burke dated his Jan. 6, 1775 (he should have
written 1776), and that the blunder of a copyist has changed 1775
into 1773.